Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Watched this film on Saturday it was an eye opener, but most of it I knew-it was done very well.

A review of the documentary;

(8 Comments) The award-winning feature documentary, THE WAR ON KIDS, launches a nationwide grassroots screening tour that will bring the debate about public education to dozens of campuses and communities nationwide.
In 95 minutes, THE WAR ON KIDS exposes the many ways the public school system has failed children and our future by robbing students of all freedoms due largely to irrational fears. Children are subjected to endure prison-like security, arbitrary punishments, and pharmacological abuse through the forced prescription of dangerous drugs. Even with these measures, schools not only fail to educate students, but the drive to teach has become secondary to the need to control children. Not only do school fall short of their mission to educate, but they erode the country’s democratic foundation and often resemble prisons.
School children are interviewed as are high school teachers and administrators, and prison security guards, plus renowned educators and authors including:
Henry Giroux: Author of Stealing Innocence Corporate Culture's War on Children
Mike A. Males: Sociologist, author of Scapegoat Generation
John Gatto: New York City and New York State Teacher of the Year
Judith Browne: Associate Director of the Advancement Project
Dan Losen: The Civil Liberties Project, Harvard UniversityWatch the trailer hereif this link is not working let me know.

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comments:

Here is where I am going to Share those moments that just come whether it be night or day and we take the time to seize every opportunity-

Just a quick chuckle; I was putting my sons down for the night and little Bogan asked for another drink of water, and I said no you have already had a large glass and used the bathroom-he said oh yeah-so I chuckled and said haha your plans to stay awake have been foiled, and he said yeah Mom you folded my plans.

The other night my boys were playing with their legos and when I walked by, PT had made a pyramid and asked me where the little guy was that he had, I said I don't know? And then he showed me he had hidden it under the pyramid-I thought and then grabbed that moment- I went and got out the history book and opened up to the ancient Egypt era when pyramids were built and why it was similar to what he did. He was amazed at the significance. We read and read and learned about them for 2 days.

This year we have started a new style of learning by Ruth Beechick, and love it! It is simple to use and to the point and Gospel centered of course I have to add the BOM, but its been great so far, check it out

Quotes

I suppose it is because nearly all children go to school nowadays, and have things arranged for them, that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas. - Agatha Christie, author I have not the least doubt that school developed in me nothing but what was evil and left the good untouched. - Edward Grieg, composer

1. Confusion 2. Class Position 3. Indifference 4. Emotional Dependency 5. Intellectual Dependency 6. Provisional Self-Esteem 7. One Can't Hide. It is the great triumph of compulsory, government monopoly mass-schooling that among even the best of my fellow teachers, and among even the best of my students' parents, only a small number can imagine a different way to do things - John Taylor Gatto, NY Teacher of the Year 1990-91